Nanoscale Two-Bit/Cell NAND Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon Memory Device with Different Tunneling Oxide Thicknesses

Abstract

Nanoscale two-bit/cell NAND-type silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) flash memory devices with different tunneling oxide thicknesses were designed to reduce the short channel effect and the coupling interference. The process step and the electrical characteristics of the proposed SONOS memory devices were simulated by using SUPREM-4 and MEDICI, respectively. The short channel effect in the nanoscale two-bit/cell SONOS devices was decreased than that of the conventional devices due to a larger effective channel length. The drain current at the on-state of the proposed NAND SONOS memory devices decreased than that of the conventional NAND SONOS devices due to the high channel resistivity. The I on/I off ratio of the proposed NAND SONOS memory devices was larger than that of the conventional memory devices due to the dramatic decrease in the subthreshold current of the proposed devices. The electrical characteristics of the NAND SONOS memory devices with different tunneling oxide thicknesses were better than those of the conventional NAND SONOS devices.